Ecology Woods (not currently open to the public)

Ecological studies in the 35-acre Ecology Woods focus on the effects of habitat fragmentation on wildlife and ecosystem services provided by small, urban forests. For example, the Ecology Woods is the site of the longest continuous study on the population health of Wood Thrush demographics or breeding ecology. Initiated in 1972 by Roland Roth, this study has involved over 100 undergraduate and graduate students and provides valuable insights into the relationship between forest habitat quality and population dynamics. The Ecology Woods was included among the sites designated as valuable in Lorraine Fleming’s Delaware’s Outstanding Natural Areas and Their Preservation.